hair.”
“Was she young or an older woman?”
“Older, I guess.” Amy paused to take another pancake. “Course she wasn’t old like our bishop’s wife. Margaret has lots of wrinkles.”
“Wrinkles can be a sign of several things, Amy. They can be an indication of many years of life. Unfortunately, wrinkles can also be due to stress, or even pain someone is dealing with,” Leah explained.
“Sorry. Guess I shouldn’t have said that.” Amy lowered her head.
“We learn from many lessons in life, so I’m glad you understand.” Leah patted the child’s arm. “Do you remember the color of the lady’s car?”
“It was gray,” Linda spoke up.
Leah dropped her fork.
Could it have been Cora who talked to the girls? Was she at the schoolhouse last night, watching from the back? I’d better not say anything to Adam about this. At least not until I know if it was Cora.
Cora entered the living room and groaned. Chad lay sprawled on the couch in a pair of sweat pants, but no shirt. With his bare arms and shoulders exposed, she couldn’t help noticing several tattoos.
What was that boy thinking, and where were his parents when he marked up his body that way?
Since she was a nurse, Cora had seen a good many people with tattoos that they had chosen to get. But seeing Chad’s and knowing he was barely eighteen made her wonder how long ago he’d done it and whether he’d had his parents’ permission.
Moving into the kitchen, Cora was surprised to see Jared at the table, eating a bowl of cereal. “You workin’ today, Mom?” he asked, barely glancing at her.
“Yes, of course I am, and when I get home this afternoon, I expect your friend to be gone. Is that understood?”
Jared’s posture slumped. “So you’re just gonna throw Chad out on the street, the way his folks did?”
“I am not throwing him on the street. He doesn’t belong here, Jared. I went against my better judgment letting him even spend the night.”
“If Chad leaves here, he’ll have no place to go and will spend Christmas alone.”
“Chad doesn’t have to be alone. He can go home and make things right with his mother and stepfather.” Cora moved across the room to get some coffee started. “If I’d known you were going to give me a hard time about this, I would have insisted Chad leave last night.”
Jared’s chair scraped the floor as he pushed away from the table. “I promise, when you get home from work today, Chad won’t be here.”
“That’s good.” The last thing Cora needed was one more problem. All she wanted was for her and Jared to enjoy a nice, quiet Christmas without any issues or complications.
Mattoon
“I’m glad you were free to go shopping with me this morning.” Priscilla smiled as she and Elaine made their way down the aisle at Wal-Mart. “In addition to picking up a few things I need myself, I want to get a Christmas present for David.”
Elaine tipped her head. “Really? I thought you’d be buying something for Elam.”
“I am. I’ll be going to the Country Shoe Shop to buy a new dress hat for Elam.” Priscilla wrinkled her nose. “The one he’s been wearing for church has seen better days.”
“A hat sounds like a nice gift. I’m sure he will appreciate getting a new one.”
“I hope so.” Priscilla gestured to the books. “This is what I’m looking for. David enjoys reading stories set in the Old West, so I’ll buy him a paperback novel, but it needs to be from the inspirational section.”
Priscilla looked at several books and finally settled on a historical novel, written by a Christian author. “What are you giving Ben for Christmas?”
Elaine rubbed the bridge of her nose. “I’ve been so busy with all the dinners we’ve hosted lately, I haven’t had time to do any shopping until today.”
“Do you know what he would like?”
“I’m not sure. Maybe I’ll ask one of Ben’s sisters.”
Priscilla looked to her left and spotted Jonah’s mother, Sarah
“Was she young or an older woman?”
“Older, I guess.” Amy paused to take another pancake. “Course she wasn’t old like our bishop’s wife. Margaret has lots of wrinkles.”
“Wrinkles can be a sign of several things, Amy. They can be an indication of many years of life. Unfortunately, wrinkles can also be due to stress, or even pain someone is dealing with,” Leah explained.
“Sorry. Guess I shouldn’t have said that.” Amy lowered her head.
“We learn from many lessons in life, so I’m glad you understand.” Leah patted the child’s arm. “Do you remember the color of the lady’s car?”
“It was gray,” Linda spoke up.
Leah dropped her fork.
Could it have been Cora who talked to the girls? Was she at the schoolhouse last night, watching from the back? I’d better not say anything to Adam about this. At least not until I know if it was Cora.
Cora entered the living room and groaned. Chad lay sprawled on the couch in a pair of sweat pants, but no shirt. With his bare arms and shoulders exposed, she couldn’t help noticing several tattoos.
What was that boy thinking, and where were his parents when he marked up his body that way?
Since she was a nurse, Cora had seen a good many people with tattoos that they had chosen to get. But seeing Chad’s and knowing he was barely eighteen made her wonder how long ago he’d done it and whether he’d had his parents’ permission.
Moving into the kitchen, Cora was surprised to see Jared at the table, eating a bowl of cereal. “You workin’ today, Mom?” he asked, barely glancing at her.
“Yes, of course I am, and when I get home this afternoon, I expect your friend to be gone. Is that understood?”
Jared’s posture slumped. “So you’re just gonna throw Chad out on the street, the way his folks did?”
“I am not throwing him on the street. He doesn’t belong here, Jared. I went against my better judgment letting him even spend the night.”
“If Chad leaves here, he’ll have no place to go and will spend Christmas alone.”
“Chad doesn’t have to be alone. He can go home and make things right with his mother and stepfather.” Cora moved across the room to get some coffee started. “If I’d known you were going to give me a hard time about this, I would have insisted Chad leave last night.”
Jared’s chair scraped the floor as he pushed away from the table. “I promise, when you get home from work today, Chad won’t be here.”
“That’s good.” The last thing Cora needed was one more problem. All she wanted was for her and Jared to enjoy a nice, quiet Christmas without any issues or complications.
Mattoon
“I’m glad you were free to go shopping with me this morning.” Priscilla smiled as she and Elaine made their way down the aisle at Wal-Mart. “In addition to picking up a few things I need myself, I want to get a Christmas present for David.”
Elaine tipped her head. “Really? I thought you’d be buying something for Elam.”
“I am. I’ll be going to the Country Shoe Shop to buy a new dress hat for Elam.” Priscilla wrinkled her nose. “The one he’s been wearing for church has seen better days.”
“A hat sounds like a nice gift. I’m sure he will appreciate getting a new one.”
“I hope so.” Priscilla gestured to the books. “This is what I’m looking for. David enjoys reading stories set in the Old West, so I’ll buy him a paperback novel, but it needs to be from the inspirational section.”
Priscilla looked at several books and finally settled on a historical novel, written by a Christian author. “What are you giving Ben for Christmas?”
Elaine rubbed the bridge of her nose. “I’ve been so busy with all the dinners we’ve hosted lately, I haven’t had time to do any shopping until today.”
“Do you know what he would like?”
“I’m not sure. Maybe I’ll ask one of Ben’s sisters.”
Priscilla looked to her left and spotted Jonah’s mother, Sarah
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